


Destined

by EroPrincess



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Canon Universe, F/M, Mental Instability, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Pregnancy, Sibling Rivalry, Smoke and Shadow Comics (Avatar)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26332213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EroPrincess/pseuds/EroPrincess
Summary: Iroh once said, "Destiny is funny," but this situation is no laughing matter. Whether it was his sick imagination or a deep foreboding, Zuko believed Azula was determined for them to meet one final time.[Inspired bySmoke & ShadowPart 3. Maiko is briefly featured.]
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	Destined

**Author's Note:**

> I’m taking a break from writing my first Maiko fic because something about it isn’t **clicking** with me. So… call this an “interlude” of sorts. I’m deeply smitten with the Fire Nation characters and I wanted to write a brief story about a few of them. Azula was **especially** fun to write! 😈
> 
> This fic is inspired by **[_Smoke_ & _Shadow_ Part 3](https://readcomiconline.to/Comic/Nickelodeon-Avatar-The-Last-Airbender-Smoke-and-Shadow/Part-3?id=48685)**. A good percentage of the dialogue has been paraphrased because I didn’t want to fully copy/paste their conversation. Personally, I know I’m in the minority when I say this, but I dislike Zuko’s post-Fire Lord characterization in the comics. He’s… well… to put it bluntly, a pansy. He doesn’t have his signature **bite** that made me a fan when he was a banished fugitive and a member of Team Avatar in the anime. So, I wanted to bring that part of his personality back in this fic.
> 
> I’m also a Maiko fan, but they’re only briefly mentioned at the end of this fic (for those of you who don’t care for the couple). This story mainly focuses on Azula and Zuko’s messed up relationship.
> 
> I don’t have a beta-reader. Everything I do is solo-dolo! So, if there are any grammatical errors, please let me know so I can edit them.
> 
>  **Disclaimer** : I don’t own _Avatar_ : _The Last Airbender_ , the corresponding comics, nor do I have any affiliation with the creators. If I did, I would’ve revealed Mai as Izumi’s mother by now instead of making fans wait just to troll them. I write for fun.
> 
>  **Rating** \- **T** for **Teen** because of **mild violence** , **coarse language** , **a bit of sexiness** , **Azula's derangement** , and **minor character death**.
> 
>  **Ages** : Azula - **17** , Zuko - **19** in the flashback scene. The characters are all in their mid and late twenties in the present-day.

**Destined**

Sitting on a stone coffin before him in the deep bowels of the crypt was Zuko’s younger sister, Azula. As the Fire Lord descended the stairs of the chamber he was greeted with the smug countenance of the former Princess.

“Hello, dear brother.” Her cherry lips stretched into a sadistic smile. “It’s been quite some time since we’ve last seen each other.” In her right palm, she cradled her signature sapphire flame to provide light in the tomb.

In his right hand, Zuko cradled his own orange flame to help him see better in the dark. He said nothing as he remained in his spot, his golden eyes never wavering from his sister’s malicious stare.

Rolling her eyes at her brother’s lack of response, Azula remarked, “I see that becoming Fire Lord didn’t improve your etiquette any. You’re still just as uncivilized as you were when you were an insolvent fugitive after Ozai banished you.”

Gritting his teeth in annoyance after she mentioned their father, Zuko tightly asked, “What do you want, Azula?”

Her grin stretched when she successfully managed to rouse the Fire Nation’s leader.

“Do you have any idea whose crypt we’re in?”

Perusing their environment, Zuko lifted his brow in question and plainly answered, “No.”

The former Princess rolled her eyes. “Of course you don’t. And _you’re_ the Fire Lord of our great country?” She scoffed. “You aren’t even aware of its full history. You need me, Zu-Zu.”

Lifting herself from the coffin she rested on, Azula eyed her sibling and continued. “It belongs to the first Fire Lord’s most Trusted Advisor.” Taking in their surroundings she added, “Rather fancy for a dead man, isn’t it?”

Ignoring her Zuko began. “Listen, Azula—” He gathered his composure and tried his best to remain calm. Letting a bit of his guard down, the Fire Lord tentatively stepped closer to his sister but kept a safe distance from her. One could never be too careful when dealing with Azula and her unpredictable nature.

“—maybe this is a weird thing to say given the circumstances, but you seem… I dunno…” He searched his mind for the right word. “…better. Yeah. Better.”

Giving the Fire Lord a rare, genuine smile at his compliment, the former Princess replied as she manifested another sapphire flame in her left palm, “Oh, not just better, dear brother… **_Stronger_**!”

Her flames turned into sharpened daggers and she charged head-on at Zuko, catching him off-guard. He managed to jump out of the way in time before her weapon could slice open his abdomen. Only a few fibers of his royal attire managed to tear from Azula’s attack.

“ _Augh_!” Zuko breathed heavily, willing his heart to stop racing so he could concentrate on their battle. “You wanna go?” He challenged the former Princess. Mimicking his sister, the Fire Lord also manifested flames in his palms, turning his orange fire into glowing daggers.

“ ** _Then let’s go_**!” He bellowed, meeting her halfway as he also charged in her direction.

“ **AAAHHH**!!!”

The sounds of their flame daggers clashed against one another’s and created loud buzzing and hissing sounds that reverberated from the walls of the tomb. Their concentrated fire brightening the darkened crypt in colors of varying tangerines and cerulean. The siblings were seemingly evenly matched, reading one another’s attacks and countering them with the right move at the perfect time.

Zuko growled as he put all of his strength and effort into overpowering his sister. However, Azula fought dirty; always had. And she surprised him with a swift kick to his midsection, sending him flying across the room. He hit the ground _hard_ , rolling across the stone floor until he slowed and eventually stopped, landing on his back.

“ _Ugh_ …” The Fire Lord groaned in pain, his flame daggers disappeared from the attack. He clutched his aching stomach and before he could register the ringing in his head, Azula wasted no time and pounced on her brother with her dagger in her right hand raised over his head. Her left hand clenched around his throat, suffocating him just enough so he’ll stay in place, but still have the ability to breathe a bit.

With a deranged look in her lemon irises, Azula manically laughed and hollered, “Me standing over you like this… why does it feel oh, _so_ familiar, Zu-Zu?”

The sounds of her laughter became louder as the ringing in his head slowed. The guffaws erupting from the former Princess’ throat echoed throughout the chamber when she took in the look of anger, pain, and annoyance in Zuko’s golden eyes. And for the second time that evening, Zuko refused to answer her question.

“Oh, that’s right!” Azula continued. “Because this is the way it’s _always_ been!”

Gripping her wrist with force, Zuko dug his blunt nails into her skin, making his sister cry out in pain. “ _Ahhh_!” In retaliation, she tightened her hold around his neck.

Forcing his words out despite the pressure she had on his windpipe, he angrily shouted without fear, “Getting rid of me will **_never_** put you back on the throne, Azula! Just accept it!" A dry cough emerged from his throat, "You will **_never_** be Fire Lord!”

Tilting her head in confusion, a few silky strands of her dark chocolate hair framed her face as she stared at her brother questioningly. “Accept it?” Azula repeated. “I’ve **_embraced_** it!” She shouted with glee. “I know I’ll never be Fire Lord because I’m not meant to be Fire Lord.”

With a flick of her wrist, the former Princess’ sapphire dagger disappeared in a puff of smoke. She released her hand from around Zuko’s neck and stood, appearing to quell her temper as her eyes softened.

Ignoring her sibling’s incessant coughing as he tried to force air back into his lungs, Azula admitted, “You were right all along. Once I’ve discovered my own destiny, that bitch’s voice in my head finally shut up.” She paced around him as her countenance became more tranquil and her demeanor calmed.

“I’ve felt weightless ever since… _Free_. Maybe for the first time in my entire life.”

Taking advantage of his sister’s distracted state, Zuko warily stood up, still on edge, and guarded just in case Azula wanted to attack him again. Manifesting another orange flame in his left palm as he dusted his robes with his right hand, the Fire Lord cautiously said, “That’s uh… That’s great to hear, Azula…” Under his breath he added, “I guess…” with a roll of his eyes.

Azula eyed her sibling, another one of her rare, soft, genuine smiles curving her cherry lips. “Rest assured, dear brother. I won’t kill you today. We’ll have our final match, eventually.” Dusting off her Kemurikage cloak, the former Princess continued. “And it won’t be in some dead Advisor’s dusty, old crypt.” Cutting her eyes at him she added, “And there will be _no_ distractions, either.”

Zuko knew what his sister meant. She wanted to challenge him in a one-on-one battle to the end, a battle without the political restrictions of Agni Kai. Or his friends’ interference.

“Face it, Zu-Zu. We’ve been warring all our lives. It’s our destiny to fight to the very end. Just you and me.”

Zuko didn’t know if it was apprehension, denial, or naiveté, but he’ll never agree to a battle to the death with his own sister. No matter what Azula put in through, no matter how strong her resolve is to kill him, he couldn’t see himself agreeing to such a battle. There had to be another way to settle their conflict, right?

“Heh. You really are crazy, y’know that?” He grinned without mirth. This was worse than witnessing her mental breakdown after he emerged victorious from their Agni Kai. Azula wanted him to agree to sign his own death warrant. And hers.

Not allowing his insult to affect her mood, Azula kept talking as though he didn’t speak.

“Train and get stronger. And get on my level. After all, it isn’t any fun defeating a weak opponent. The challenge makes the victory all the more rewarding.”

The Fire Lord’s face soured at her words. Again, he lifted his brow as he saw through his sister’s obvious lie. “Cut the bullshit, Azula. You and I both know you enjoy taunting and defeating weak opponents. Because you believe weak people don’t deserve to live.”

“ _Aw_ … you got me.” Azula lifted her hands and shrugged, a malevolent smirk stretching her lips. “I lied. The truth is after I finally defeat you, then I’ll finally kill that bitch, her little peasant child, and dear Uncle, too.”

Zuko knew Azula harbored resentment for their mother because of Ursa’s paternal affections for him. And the former Princess tried to assassinate their mother during their trip to Hira’a. But to go as far as threatening to kill their younger sister and Iroh, too? What would she gain from this? And deep down no matter how much he wanted to deny it, he knew Azula meant every word she just said. And it filled his being with dread, although his expression never showed it.

“Ozai’s weak and pathetic and he deserves to rot in prison for his failure. And for leaving me behind on the day of Sozin’s Comet. Our family’s lineage is forever soiled because you have your head so far up the Avatar’s ass you can’t see how weak the Royal Family has become. That bitch married a destitute commoner, had a child with him, and now they live in the Royal Palace as though they belong there while I'm fighting in an old, dead man's tomb. You defended your ex-girlfriend’s peasant boyfriend after that commoner disrespected you multiple times and rubbed his relationship with Mai in your face. You have no pride.” Shaking her head in disgust Azula uttered, “Great-grandfather Sozin’s rolling in his grave.”

“What is wrong with you? Why are you saying this?” Zuko bellowed with his arms outstretched in a pleading gesture.

“Because,” the former Princess inspected her crystal clear nails, unperturbed by her brother’s outburst. Giving him a simple look she merely replied, “You’re the only one who’s capable of stopping me.”

Perhaps some of Azula’s crazy was rubbing off on him, but Zuko felt his heart racing in anticipation. His face broke into a grin as he found himself looking forward to their inevitable fight in the distant future. He will do whatever it takes to protect the ones he loves and his Nation. Azula must be stopped. And, even though it hurt him to admit it, no clemency will be given once they have their final battle to the very end. He tried giving her clemency in the past multiple times and it's the reason why his sister is now running amok threatening to end their entire family. It's a burden he has to bear. And it's his responsibility to assuage it.

“You know what? I’m looking forward to our destined fight, too. Because I want you to see restoring peace to the Nations and returning honor back to our family after their history of crimes isn’t a weakness. It takes a great amount of strength to defy the violent totalitarian rule of Sozin’s legacy. And while he’s rolling in his grave, great-grandfather Roku is smiling down on me.”

“Heh.” Azula manifested lightning with her first two fingers and aimed a bolt at the left side of Zuko’s head, barely missing as it zipped past his left ear. The attack created a large hole in the wall behind him.

Satisfied with the startled look in his eyes, the former Princess left with parting words that held much promise.

“The next time we meet, dear brother, it’ll be our last. So make it worth my while.” Azula’s body dissipated in sapphire flames.

* * *

Zuko’s eyes shot open and he instantly sat up in his large, royal bed. The torches throughout his royal chambers instantly ignited as he woke, bathing the expansive room in orange glows. Instinctively his hand covered his scarred ear, checking for a fresh lightning wound.

He found nothing except for the same marred flesh that shriveled the left side of his face from his father’s attack when he was thirteen.

Closing his eyes, the Fire Lord slowed his breathing, willing himself to relax his nerves and rapidly beating heart.

“It-It was just a dream…” He whispered.

“…What was ‘just a dream’, Zuko?” A sleepy voice gently repeated.

Hearing the familiar rasp of the sleepy woman lying next to him, Zuko looked down at his very pregnant girlfriend and smiled, his anxiety from his nightmare easing just barely.

Humorously he watched as Mai groaned and struggled from lying on her side to rest her back against the plush mattress.

Zuko reached to help her sit up and Mai swatted his hands away.

“I can sit up by myself, y’know. I don’t need your help.”

She always became annoyed whenever her boyfriend tried to assist her during her pregnancy. And he always ignored her protests and assisted her, anyway. And she appreciated each gesture every time.

Fluffing out the koala-sheep pillows behind her, Zuko righted his girlfriend until she sat comfortably. Adjusting her kimono to keep from exposing her bare breasts, Mai rested her head on his right shoulder and clutched his bicep.

Locking her sunflower irises with his golden ones, she asked, “Did you have a nightmare, Zuko?”

The Fire Lord exhaled heavily and looked down, purposefully averting his gaze as he rubbed her swollen belly.

Many nobles in the Capital, his Royal Advisors, political figures from other Nations, and whispers among some of his guards all disapproved of their esteemed Fire Lord impregnating a former noblewoman-turned florist. And to make matters worse, the unorthodox pair wasn't engaged to be married. And it seemed to everyone who’s keeping a watchful eye on the couple's on-again, off-again relationship, they had no current plans to wed. Even though Mai’s six months pregnant, neither she nor Zuko had made a single attempt to make their family a legitimate one in the eyes of their Nation.

Their unwed union was considered disgraceful to the Royal Family in the eyes of many, especially knowing someday their illegitimate child will possibly take the Throne. And neither Zuko nor Mai cared about the opinions of others. “ _We’ll do what’s best for us_ ,” Mai told him on one rare day they managed to sneak away to be alone. And the Fire Lord agreed.

“It…” Zuko began to answer her question. He recapitulated his dream to his girlfriend. “I was in the first Fire Lord’s Advisor’s crypt with Azula… You remember the whole Kemurikage debacle?”

“Mmm, hmm.” It’s not something Mai preferred to think about. Years ago her father conspired with Azula and the New Ozai Society to overthrow Zuko and assassinate him so Ozai can claim the title of Fire Lord again. In doing so, Ukano, Azula, and their companions kidnapped several children in the Capital, including her brother Tom-Tom and Zuko's sister Kiyi, all in an attempt to turn the Fire Nation natives against their leader.

Mai looked down as Zuko kept rubbing her belly and sighed. Ukano was still serving time in prison for his crimes while Azula’s whereabouts are unknown. It pained her that her father won’t get the chance to meet his future granddaughter, but for the time being she put the thought out of her mind to listen to her boyfriend retell his nightmare.

“She… challenged me to a final duel, just the two of us… to the death. And I—” He hesitated, wondering if he should tell Mai he accepted his sister’s challenge.

Their family was growing. Mai was due to give birth to their daughter in three months. The stress of her pregnancy drastically changing her body, coupled with everyone’s disapproving opinions concerning their union have already taken their toll on her. The last thing he wanted to do is add to that stress by admitting he agreed to fight Azula to the death. The thought of him dying, his daughter being born without her father, Mai raising their baby girl alone, it broke his heart.

“You accepted her challenge, didn’t you?” Mai whispered.

Their bond was special and it allowed them to seemingly read one another’s minds. And tonight he was thankful she figured out the truth; it lifted the burden from telling her himself.

Mai didn’t sound angry, more so disappointed. She removed her hand from Zuko’s bicep and linked her fingers with his.

Chancing a glance at his girlfriend, Zuko tried to reassure her. “It was just a dream, Mai.”

Scowling at the Fire Lord, Mai replied through clenched teeth, “You know I hate it when you lie to me, Zuko. It’s annoying. That didn’t sound like a dream to me. That sounded like a premonition.”

“No one’s seen Azula since that day and that was years ago. And I have so much more to live for now. You. Izumi. My family. My country. I won’t let thoughts of Azula interfere with any of that.”

Rolling her eyes at the mention of her former friend, Mai retorted, “You’ve been fighting with that lunatic all of your life. Even now she’s fighting you, keeping you from having a peaceful sleep. When will it end?”

“She threatened to kill Mother, Kiyi, and Uncle…” Zuko quietly admitted.

Mai gasped in horror.

“Azula wants to wipe out all of us. She says she wants to ‘cleanse’ the Royal Family.”

For the first time since her boyfriend woke from his nightmare, Mai felt the chill of fear travel down her spine. She wrapped her arms protectively around her protruding belly, cradling her child growing in her womb.

“I’ll do anything to protect you,” Zuko honestly admitted. “You know that. I won’t let Azula hurt you.” Looking down at her belly he added, “Or you,” he told their unborn child.

“But who’s going to protect you from Azula?” Mai quietly asked.

The Fire Lord didn’t have an answer for that.

With a sigh, Mai shifted her position until she was lying down on her back again.

“Come.” Reaching up she pulled her boyfriend down with her and gave him a rueful smile. “Let’s go back to sleep. All of this talk about crazy women and nightmares is giving me bad vibes.”

Grinning down at her as he helped her lay on her side, positioning himself behind her, Zuko allowed himself to relax and said, “I thought you didn’t believe in vibes. Said only stupid people do.”

Ignoring his remark, Mai reached behind her and clutched the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his soft, shoulder-length tresses. She looked over her shoulder and whispered, “Shut up and kiss me.”

As Zuko sealed his lips over hers and reached around her waist to lift her leg over his and untie her sleep kimono, he appreciated the temporary distraction making love to his woman provided. But somewhere in the back of his mind trepidation settled and he couldn’t help but wonder if, or _when_ , Azula will reappear to challenge him to their final fight. It was inevitable. It was destined to happen. Eventually.

And will he truly be prepared when they finally faced each other?

* * *

_Somewhere in an Earth Kingdom village in the middle of the night_ …

“T-Th-There… I did as you asked… I-I… tapped into the Fire Lord’s subconscious and I-I delivered your message to him… _Please_ … _let me go_ …”

In a darkened room in the home of the Earth Kingdom’s famed fortune teller was an elderly woman sitting on her knees in front of a blazing sapphire fire providing cerulean light. Her face was writhed in fear as a young woman stood behind her, painfully gripping her gray hair until her eyebrows lifted nearly past her forehead.

“As you wish, Aunt Wu since you’ve been _more_ than compliant.” A feminine voice acquiesced. She released her hold on Aunt Wu’s hair and the fortune teller collapsed, breathing heavily as fear shook her core. “I’m sure my dear brother received my message.”

Removing her violet and white mask, Azula revealed herself just as Aunt Wu looked over her shoulder. Her gray eyes widened in fright as she studied the identity of the Fire Lord’s sister.

Turning around on her knees, Aunt Wu kneeled before the Fire Nation’s former Princess until her forehead touched the floor. “T-Th-Thank you, Azula. I-I am more t-than happy to h-hel—” before the psychic could finish her statement, a concentrated white bolt of lightning entered the back of her skull, frying her brain, killing her instantly.

“Groveling dog. You’ve outgrown your usefulness.”

With a wave of her arm the flames in the center of the room disappeared. “We’ll see each other soon, Zu-Zu.” Azula’s body dissipated in sapphire fire as she vanished into the night

**Author's Note:**

> Well, there it is! Finished! Done! _Finito_!
> 
> I know it’s popular for people to write Mai as an unfeeling bitch, especially towards Zuko (and I mainly blame the comics for that), but that’s not how I see her. Mai has been shown countless times openly expressing herself. And Zuko is a major reason for that change in her character. Also, when Mai and Zuko are alone, she’s soft, affectionate, and attentive. And she’s also very protective of Zuko. I think people forget that Mai is crazy in love with Zuko. She has tunnel vision for him. Even when she was dating Kei Lo, Zuko wasn’t far from her mind (especially since he’s the main reason why they started dating, and eventually broke up). So, I can’t just picture Mai as an unfeeling bitch. A woman loving a man isn’t a bad thing. At least, I don’t think it is.
> 
> And as far as her on-again, off-again relationship with Zuko, I don’t mind it. In fact, it’s what inspired me to write their union the way I did. Nothing about their relationship gives me “traditional, follow-the-rules” vibes. Mai and Zuko never cared about what anyone thought about their relationship, and they never shied away from expressing their love, either. They’re probably the couple who engaged in PDA the most in the series. So, in my mind, I felt it would only be natural to take an unorthodox approach to their relationship.
> 
> And as far as Zuko’s fight with his sister, (again another unpopular opinion) I despise his fight with Azula in the final episode. It was my most anticipated fight and it ended up being the biggest letdown. Zuko and Azula deserve to fight one-on-one without anyone interrupting. That’s what I’ll like to see, even though it’ll never happen.
> 
> And I whimsically added the final part featuring Azula and Aunt Wu. It seemed like the proper way to end this fic.
> 
> Oh, well, enough of my musings. If you enjoyed the fic, please leave a review. I’m out! ✌


End file.
